


Ohio

by edibleflowers



Category: Popslash
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-17
Updated: 2012-09-17
Packaged: 2017-11-14 10:56:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/514499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edibleflowers/pseuds/edibleflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What the fuck's so special about Ohio, anyway?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ohio

**Author's Note:**

> For the Slash Across America challenge.

"What the fuck is so special about Ohio, anyway?" Chris thought to himself for approximately the eight billionth time. Outside the bus, a pastoral landscape sped by: trees and farms, fields neatly cross-stitched by wood fences. The occasional small pond or lake caught his eye, rippling water glittering when the sunlight spilled over it. Every now and then a pasture of cows or horses broke up the monotony.

It was, in a word, dull. At least other states had interesting things to look at: mountains, or rolling hills. Even the deserts seemed interesting to Chris, with their sparse vegetation and hardy wildlife. What kind of wildlife did Ohio have? Deer? Big whoop.

He wouldn't have thought about it at all, except that last week Joey had given him a wink and said, "Four days, we're gonna be in Ohio." Chris had spent practically every waking moment since then puzzling out the seeming non sequitur. Why would Joey, born in Brooklyn and now an Orlando resident, care at all about Ohio? Chris himself had an uncle in Denton; they'd lived with him for a couple of years, long enough for him to make friends and be in a junior-high production of "South Pacific" -- but as far as he knew, there were no long-lost members of the Fatone clan anywhere in the state.

He'd asked JC, in a moment of desperation. JC had mumbled something about Cincinnati chili and gave Chris a weird look. Justin hadn't been helpful either; he'd just started rambling about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum and how he wanted to go there again. Then Chris had asked Lance, who'd given him one of those wry "you're fucked" looks, and Chris had just groaned.

He felt Joey sit down next to him, and turned to smile weakly at him. They'd stopped an hour or so ago outside of Toledo, where Joey had switched with JC. Chris had hoped to avoid attention by sitting in the kitchenette and reading while Joey and Justin played video games and called each other names. He supposed he should have known it wouldn't last forever.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey." Joey slipped an arm around Chris's shoulder. "What'cha doing?"

"Just thinking." Chris felt his leg twitch under the table, and fought to control it.

"About what?" Joey purred, silken-voiced.

"Umm, about Ohio," Chris admitted, and crossed his fingers under the table, praying for divine intervention.

"What about it?"

Chris swore under his breath. "I, uhh, was kinda hoping you could tell me." At Joey's confused look -- which seemed genuine -- he continued. "You said, the other day, 'four days to Ohio', and I was -- just trying to figure out why."

To his surprise -- and some relief -- Joey just chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Yeah," he smiled. "You know why I said that?"

"No, ass, that's why I asked." Chris turned back to look out the window, a wave of irritation sweeping over him. Joey leaned past him, gaze following Chris's.

"You really don't remember," he murmured. "It was right about here."

"What's right about here?" Chris nearly exploded. It was just another damn uninteresting stretch of highway, completely forgettable.

Joey put a thumb and finger under Chris's chin, turning his face until their eyes met. "Right about here, on I-71, in Ohio, four years ago, is where I first kissed you."

"Oh," Chris said faintly, and closed his eyes, tilting his head to meet Joey's kiss. Then, "Really? Right here?"

"Just about," Joey grinned.

"Huh. I guess there's something special about Ohio after all," Chris murmured, and nestled back into Joey's embrace.

"Kentucky's more special, though," Joey murmured in his ear.

Chris squirmed in delight. "I know. It's the first place we fucked."

Joey bit Chris's ear reprovingly. "'Made love', Kirkpatrick. You're so fuckin' romantic."

Snuggling into Joey's arms, Chris sighed contentedly. Suddenly Ohio didn't seem quite so boring after all.


End file.
